Acker (2006) Flashcards
main topic
inequality regimes: gender, class and race in organizations
intersectionality definition
complex, mutually reinforcing or contradicting processes of class, gender and racial inequalities
inequality regimes definition
loosely interrelated practices, processes, actions, and meanings that result in and maintain class, gender, and racial inequalities within particular organizations
inequality in organizations in 7 ways
systematic disparities between participants in:
1. power and control over goals, resources and outcomes
2. workplace decisions such as how to organize work
3. opportunities for promotion and interesting work
4. security in employment and benefits
5. pay and other monetary rewards
6. respect
7. pleasures in work and work relations
bases of inequality
class, gender & race (sexuality, religion, age & disability)
occupation vs. job
an occupation is a type of work, a job is a particular cluster of tasks in a particular work organization
inequality in occupations vs. jobs
there is more sex segregation at the job level than at the occupational level
five organizing processes that produce inequality
- organizing the general requirements of work
- organizing class hierarchies
- recruitment and hiring
- wage setting and supervisory practices
- informal interactions
process: organizing the general requirements of work
work is organized on the image of a white man who is totally dedicated to the work and has no responsibilities for children or family demands other than earning a living, this can create inequalities
process: organizing class hierarchies (2)
- because of gendered job descriptions, women’s jobs are mostly in categories at the bottom of the ranking with lower wages than men’s jobs
- managers were credited with responsibility for tasks done by their assistants, which reinforces their low wages
process: recruitment and hiring (2)
- gender and race partially define who is suitable for jobs: white people are often preferred, and women and men are preferred for different jobs
- sometimes immigrant women are more desirable because employers think they are compliant and will accept orders and low wages
process: wage setting and supervisory practices
because male employees are more visible to male managers, they got bonuses because of their hard work, instead of female employees
process: informal interactions
interactions during everyday work could lead to inequalities, when people use gender-, race- and class-based assumptions on who to interact with and in which way
visibility of inequality (3)
- people in dominant groups generally see inequality as existing somewhere else, not where they are
- managers may intentionally hide some forms of inequality
- gender, class and sexuality are mostly invisible; race is visible but denied and avoided
legitimacy of inequalities
class may be seen as legitimate, but gender and race inequality are less legitimate; however gender and race processes are more legitimate when embedded in legitimate class processes
what enhances the possibility for change?
high visibility and low legitimacy of inequalities, for example social movements can contribute to this
direct and indirect controls
direct controls are rules, punishments and rewards; indirect controls control through technologies (e.g. restricting information or time online)
two reasons change fails
- owner and managerial class interests outweigh the class, gender and race interests of those who suffer inequality
- advantage is hard to give up: increasing equality can be seen and felt as an assault on dignity and masculinity
two examples of successful change projects
affirmative action and pay equity programs
common characteristics of successful change projects (3)
- change efforts that target a limited set of inequality-producing mechanisms
- they have combined social movement and legislative support outside the organization with active support form insiders
- they often involve coercion or threat of loss
